In "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift, the titular traveler learns much about the follies of mankind as he sails around the world, discovering new land. Gulliver visits four places, each interesting and strange in their own way. Swift uses each experience to satirize government, human pride, religion, philosophy, scientific conceit, among other things. In the land of Brobdingnag, Gulliver encounters a race of giants, and their size and their views on government prove to be effective satirical tools.

Human Pride

Just as Swift used the size of the Lilliputians in Gulliver's previous travels to mock their pettiness, so too does he use the size of the Brobdingnagdians to mock their pride and pretension. Swift satirizes their desire to have a large government and to assert their own importance. Though Gulliver is of smaller stature, Swift also uses this setting to satirize his own pride and, by extension, the pride of the English people. When the king asks Gulliver to tell him about the English government, Gulliver happily complies with the idea that he will impress the king with the accomplishments of his native land. However, the king concludes they are a "pernicious race of little odious vermin."

Modern Warfare

Of note in the exchange between Gulliver and the king about the English government is his reaction to its ideas about warfare. Gulliver expects the king to be impressed with the large English army, but the king was amazed at the idea the government would have a standing army when they were at peace and lived in a free country. Gulliver also expects the king to be impressed by his description of gun powder and weapons, but the king was horrified that Gulliver seemed unmoved by the bloodshed caused by "those destructive machines." The discussion serves to satirize the senselessness and destruction of modern warfare.

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Expert Knowledge

Throughout Gulliver's time on Brobdingnag, the concept of expert knowledge or authority is satirized. When Gulliver explains the way that politicians gain their position in English government and how nobleman and other important figures gain title, Swift's satiric analysis of politicians shines through. The king concludes that the only things needed to be a legislator are "ignorance, idleness, and vice." He says that it doesn't seem that any talent or proof of exceptional intelligence are required to gain any position of authority or to be considered an expert in English society.

Scientific Conceit

Swift satirizes the rising belief of the time that science is all powerful, and those who believe that it can explain or control everything are foolish. He has Gulliver, who considers himself an expert sailor, shipwrecked despite his tools and knowledge. The book is also invokes concepts of magic to satirize and exaggerate the land in which it's placed. As Christopher Dow points out in "Good Science, Bad Science, and Nons(ci)ence in Gulliver's Travels," the size of the water is described to be 12 times as large as regular water, which makes it difficult for Gulliver to sail. Since water behaves consistently (and would be undrinkable it it were truly too big), Swift's exaggeration provides further satire of the natural elements in which Gulliver is placed.

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About the Author

Maria Magher has been working as a professional writer since 2001. She has worked as an ESL teacher, a freshman composition teacher and an education reporter, writing for regional newspapers and online publications. She has written about parenting for Pampers and other websites. She has a Master's degree in English and creative writing.